On a night when he chewed up 267 yards on the ground, it was
only appropriate that Gilroy High junior tailback Justin Sweeney
would win it. With just 25 seconds left on the clock, Sweeney ran
for a 30-yard touchdown that capped off the Mustangs
’ clutch, 73-yard drive and gave them a 13-6 victory at
Independence in the first round of the Central Coast Section
playoffs Saturday night.
On a night when he chewed up 267 yards on the ground, it was only appropriate that Gilroy High junior tailback Justin Sweeney would win it.
With just 25 seconds left on the clock, Sweeney ran for a 30-yard touchdown that capped off the Mustangs’ clutch, 73-yard drive and gave them a 13-6 victory at Independence in the first round of the Central Coast Section playoffs Saturday night.
And, Sweeney left little doubt where he thought the credit should go.
“The key was the O-line,” Sweeney said. “They just kept wearing out those big guys (Independence) had.”
It was Gilroy’s first playoff victory since 1985, also the year of the program’s last eight-win team.
No. 5 Gilroy will advance to play top seed Oak Grove in Friday’s semifinal game. The Mustangs, 6-0 on the road this season, will travel to San Jose City College for the 3pm game.
The Sixers finished the season 7-3-1 overall.
The Gilroy defense held a high-powered Independence offense that averaged nearly 30 points a game to just six. And a vaunted running game that averaged nearly 300 yards was held to a stunning 68.
“That was one of the best defensive efforts I’ve ever seen out of a Gilroy defense,” GHS head coach Darren Yafai said. “The strength of that team is running the ball and we forced them to put it in the air. It was just an incredible job against the run.”
In the immediate aftermath of Saturday’s victory, though, there was no point in looking ahead. Yafai, a member of that ‘85 team, simply want to soak up the moment on the same field where his Mustangs won a playoff game 19 years ago.
“The community should be proud of this team,” he said after his first playoff victory as a head coach. “They were the first in 19 seasons to do a couple of different things, and to me, that is a little history. I know they earned it, too. They’ve worked as hard as any varsity team I’ve ever been around.”
Hollister-SB 47, Milpitas 0
Fans watching the Hollister-San Benito High football team Friday night were left with one one thought: These kids have got heart.
They’ve got football skills to match.
The Haybalers advanced to the Central Coast Section Large School semifinal round after routing Milpitas 47-0 on a Friday night performance that was well beyond convincing.
Despite the exhilaration of the rout, there was no taunting, no trash-talking and no mental lapses resulting in unnecessary penalties.
On both sides of the ball, classy football by classy players was on display – and the Balers are now poised for a real run at a CCS title.
Hollister-SB came in to the contest well aware of the challenge they were going to face in stopping the Trojans’ 6-0, 185-pound running back Michael Fullbright.
Fullbright rushed for 1,200 yards over the course of the regular season.
But on Friday night, the Balers’ defense held him to a mere 28 yards on 13 carries.
Meanwhile, the Balers’ offense was a picture of efficiency. Quarterback Karson Klauer needed just six pass attempts to gain 137 yards, including a beautiful pass to Anthony Francis, who showed off his athletic ability once again by getting airborne, stretching out almost fully horizontal, and making a spectacular fingertip grab.
Charles Thompson was his usual defense-frustrating self, carrying the ball four times for 42 yards and scoring on a 65-yard run following a crafty screen pass from Klauer.
Chris Brigantino, playing the work horse role, racked up 32 hard-fought yards on seven carries.
“It’s going to get a whole lot tougher from here on out,” said Cameron, whose team will face either Wilcox or Santa Teresa in the CCS semifinals. “There’s no cruising in second round games.”
